Pollutant Information: Hydrogen Fluoride

About Hydrogen Fluoride

Category: Air pollutants

Hydrogen fluoride (HF) is an acidic gas released to air from combustion of fuels that contain trace amounts of fluoride. Some industrial processes manufacture HF and/or use it as a reagent, also giving rise to emissions. Hydrogen fluoride is chemically very similar to HCl and emissions of HF display a similar source pattern to HCl. Like HCl, power generation is the most significant source, contributing 45% of total HF emission in 2015. The reduction of the emissions from this sector with time (87% since 1990) is an indication of the increased use of emission abatement equipment in power stations and reduction in the use of coal. Emissions of HF from the residential sector have also decreased with time. This is due to the decreasing use of coal for domestic heating.